India pacer Prasidh Krishna, one of the most impressive players in the recent Test series against England, talked candidly about his on-field interaction with Joe Root during the fifth and final Test at The Oval, stating that he did not understand why the senior batter reacted so strongly.
During the game, which India won by six runs to level the series 2-2, Prasidh and Root got into a heated argument.
“I don’t know why Rooty reacted (that way). I just said, ‘you’re looking in great shape’ and then it turned into a lot of abuse and all of that,” he said on ESPNCricinfo.
“I did go and speak to most of them — including Root. I asked him what happened. He said, ‘I thought you abused me’. I said, ‘No’, and he replied, ‘I actually just wanted to get myself going as well, so I had to pump myself up.
“That’s what I love about the sport — that’s the way I’ve always played it. To see everybody, and especially a legend like him, putting it all out there and fighting for the team, even today, that’s something for everyone to learn.
“You’re out there to fight, to win battles. Sometimes it takes a lot more than just skill; it takes a lot of mental grit to be part of that journey,” he added.
In six Test matches for India, the 29-year-old Bengaluru bowler has claimed 22 wickets, including 14 in the three games he participated in during the England series.
After being replaced by debutant Anshul Kamboj in the fourth Test, Prasidh returned in the final match to claim 8 wickets for 188 runs across 43 overs.
“Physically, it took a lot out of me. It took me about a week to shake it off. Then I came back, played a few games in the Maharaja Trophy. It felt good to go back to my state, be with my statemates, chat with the youngsters, and just get that feeling of being back in cricket again.
“Once that was over, I got back to training in Bengaluru, started bowling, and we had a few [BCCI-mandated fitness] tests over the last two days. And now, this morning when I woke up, I felt really good – like, ‘Okay, I’m ready to go play some more cricket now’,” he added.
